From: MPetrelis@aol.com
Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1999 22:00:55 EDT
Subject: Judge rules to count votes of DC marijuana initiative
For Immediate Release
September 17, 1999
Contact: Wayne Turner, ACT UP/DC
Phone: 202-547-9404
Email: DcSign59@aol.com
D.C. Court Ruling Hailed a Victory for Medical Marijuana Initiative 59;
Democracy Activists Win Crucial Battle Against Bob Barr
Washington, DC - US District court Judge Richard Roberts issued a ruling
today allowing the count, release, cerfication, and transmission of the
results of DC's medical marijuana Initiative 59. The ballots were impounded
and results kept secret since last November's election, due to Rep. Bob
Barr's (R-GA) amendment on the District's FY 99 Budget, prohibiting local
officials from "conducting an election" on any ballot measure which lessens
the penalties for marijuana use.
The court case, filed by the ACLU/National Capital Area on behalf of ACT
UP/DC, has been pending since final arguments were presented last December.
Health care advocates hailed today's ruling a dual win for patients and the
democratic rights of District residents. "This is a real victory, but it's
been such it's been such a long, painful struggle," states AIDS activist
Wayne Turner of ACT UP/DC, who led the Initiative 59 campaign after its
original sponsor, Steve Michael, died from AIDS.
"I look forward to finally counting the votes from this important medical
marijuana initiative," said Turner. "Judge Roberts has made a wise decision
permitting certifying the will of DC voters. Democracy will be renewed when
the ballots are tallied up and results released."
A local coalition of AIDS activists, grassroots environmentalists, and
diverse citizens gathered over 32,000 petition signatures in order to place
Initiative 59 on the November 3, 1998 ballot. Though District voters cast
their ballots either simply "For" or "Against," local election officials were
threatened with arrest if they counted and announced the results.
Initiative 59, if passed, would allow seriously ill patients including
persons with cancer or AIDS to use marijuana for medicinal purposes.
Marijuana alleviates nausea and stimulates the appetite loss associated wih
AIDS wasting syndrome. The DC Board of Elections and Ethics will soon
offically certify the outcome.
Even if Initiative 59 was approved by voters, the measure would still be
subject to a 30-day congressional review period. A "resolution of
disapproval" would have to be passed by a majority in both the House and the
Senate, and then signed by the President, in order to overturn a DC law.
"We still have a lot of work to do with Congress so we can eventually
implement the will of the people of DC," Turner adds. "The marijuana ballot
process has always been about protecting patients."
For more information, check out our website at www.actupdc.org. Help us in
our continuing struggle to protect the patients. Please send your donation
to:
'Yes on 59'
409 H Street, N.E.
Washington, DC 20002
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